We made a couple small stream crossings and enjoyed sections of shade for the first part of the climb. Those trails and lakes had been busy with backpackers-but so far we had only seen one couple. It was crazy to think we’d spent several nights just on the other side. Most interesting to me was the view of the back side of Eagle Cap and Glacier Peak. We could see snow covered mountains and granite peaks in all directions as we passed through small meadows carpeted by wildflowers in peak bloom. We crossed the swollen creek (nearly knee deep), topped off our water, and began the 1,000′ climb to Hidden Lake.įor the next half mile, we made a moderate climb through the forest. But suddenly there it was and within a few minutes we had dropped to East Eagle. My trail guide put this at 6.5 miles in and I was beginning to think we had missed it. I could have easily made camp right there along East Eagle with stunning views up to Eagle Cap, but there hadn’t been any good sites and the guys provided good encouragement for continuing on.Īt seven miles from the trailhead, we came to an unsigned trail to our left-this would take us up to Hidden Lake. Cooling off at the stream crossings and patches of snow was helping, but I was starting to drag butt in the warm mid-day sun. As we progressed, the views ahead of snow covered Eagle Cap peaks became more and more spectacular.īy six miles in, we had climbed 1,700 feet and were in full sun most of the time. We crossed several side streams, most with waterfalls above, and the occasional patch of snow. Ahead, we were beginning to get stunning views to the north.įor the next four miles, we alternated between sections of forest and flower filled meadows above East Eagle. With the late snow runoff, we saw the first of many seasonal waterfalls in the form of a delicate little stream coming down off the western side of East Eagle. Here the creek squeezed through a skinny corkscrew shaped slot. While this stretch was easy hiking and nicely shaded, it was rather pedestrian and I was filled with excitement for the views I knew were ahead.Īt 2.5 miles, we came to Corkscrew Falls. We had an occasional view of East Eagle and Granite Cliff to our left. The first couple of miles were through relatively thick forest. Instead, look for a faint trail that starts to the right and up the hill. It isn’t obvious, but the trail takes off here. At about a quarter mile in, we reached a small gated bridge over East Eagle. The trail began as a rough single track road with nice views of East Fork Eagle Creek and towering Granite Cliff. It was a cool and beautiful morning, but temperatures were quickly warming. Nice! We obtained our free wilderness permit and were on the trail at 8:00. We still had a couple hour drive and it was going to be a warm day with a strenuous hike-the early start was good.Īrriving at the East Eagle Trailhead (elevation 4,560′), we found a trail register and only one other car. Saturday morning we had breakfast, broke camp, and were on the road a little after 5:00. great campsite – wish we could have stayed longer! We scored a site overlooking the river and set up our camp in the last bit of fading light. This small campground along the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway offers lovely well-spaced sites for $8 per night. We left our house at 4:00 Friday afternoon and made the nearly three and a half hour drive to Blackhorse Campground on the banks of the Imnaha River. Despite the long drive, Hidden was the best choice. I looked for an Eagle Cap lake that none of us had seen before that could be done in a weekend. July 2017 found me planning a last minute pack with our nephew Max. At 18 miles round trip, it was an ideal distance for a weekend backpack however, the eleven hour round trip drive had always put us off. Hidden Lake had been on my radar for a couple of years. Lucky for us, and those willing to make the long and winding drive to the more-remote southwestern corner of the range, lonely trailheads and high mountain lakes await. Camp sites at places like Mirror Lake are full on the weekends, leading us to sometimes wonder if the crowds are worth it (they are). Trailheads like Two Pan can be packed to capacity during the short backpacking season. When most people think of northeastern Oregon’s Wallowa Mountains and Eagle Cap Wilderness, they picture the busy eastern side near Enterprise and Joseph. It doesn’t get any better than the Eagle Cap Wilderness. Stunning high mountain lake in a quiet corner of Oregon’s Eagle Cap Wildernessĭifficulty: difficult with approximately 2,700′ elevation gainīest season: July – September beautiful Hidden Lake in the Eagle Cap Wilderness
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